The unreleased album that Elliott Smith had been preparing for an early 2004 release might see release on a label other than Dreamworks, according to comments on an hour-long tribute broadcast last weekend on the syndicated radio program New Ground. Host Chris Douridas assembled the tribute from interviews with Kill Rock Stars' Slim Moon, Smith's friend and one-time manager Margaret Mittleman, producers Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf, Dreamworks head Lenny Waronker, and Smith's A&R rep, Luke Wood.

Of the unreleased album, known by its working title From A Basement On The Hill, Wood said that Smith probably had more than 30 songs tracked for the record. "I think there's definitely enough of that record that his family will be able to finish it up," Wood told New Ground. "They're gonna decide where it comes out, because that record was his record-- Dreamworks gave it back to him, and it was gonna come out on an independent label of his choosing, and now that'll be the family's choice. So, you know, hopefully next year we'll all get to hear it."

In the interview, Wood also expressed his surprise at Smith's apparent suicide last Tuesday: "As someone who's spent time with Elliott in the last few months, who saw him... he was really clean, and focused... I really thought that the worst days were behind him, and I felt like his drive to get this record out, you know, was what was keeping him looking forward to the next day."

Wood confirmed on the program that Smith's work-in-progress was meant to be a double album that reconciles the hushed intimacy of his earlier home-recorded albums with the ambitious, layered production that characterized XO and Figure 8. Wood called the album, as Smith envisioned it, a "true summary of all of his records" that veered from the "intimate, brutally honest two-track guitar/vocal-- you know, that certainly signified the earlier records-- to these bizarre, lush, beautiful, hectic, you know, really pushing-the-envelope sort of stereo, spectral, soundscape, multi-track drum songs... [like] something you'd hear off of Pet Sounds, but in the most, you know, creative, pushing-the-envelope moments of Pet Sounds."

Producers Rob Schnapf and Tom Rothrock remembered Smith's creative drive and an often jovial atmosphere in the studio. "People've been asking me, like, well, was, you know... was [Smith] just a miserable person?" Schnapf said. "And, uh, no... we had a lot of fun making these records. For example, XO, a lot of it was made in a wig... you know, we were wearing wigs... we weren't all depressed, we weren't shoegazing the whole time... it was fun, it was really rewarding."

Rothrock fondly shared stories of recording with Smith at Abbey Road, and shared an unreleased instrumental from the Figure 8 sessions, the Beatlesque "Tiny Time Machine," on the program.

At wave level, everything exists as a contradiction. Everything is existing in more than one stage/place at any given moment. Everything must move/vibrate and constantly change to exist. Everything, including buildings, mountains, oceans and thoughts.

thank god. if this record were to never come out, i would explode. for anyone wondering a little bit of what the new stuff sounds like, i suggest getting the 2 song single he released on vinyl a few months ago with the 2 new songs Pretty (Ugly Before) and A Distorted Reality Is A Neccesity To Be Free on it. you can find them floating around online.

Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

Do you think the fact that people like John Mayer are suddenly very popular playing the same type of music

its not the same type of music. AT ALL.

and no, i dont. he was uncomfortable with success. i doubt he was envious of john mayer.

I would classify them in the same genre. I love Elliott Smith, and gave Room for Squares one listen and was not impressed.

NEVER COMPARE JOHN MAYER TO THE THE BEAUTY OF ELLIOTT SMITH!!!! they're not the same genre, they're not the same type of music, they're not even the same feelings and emotions. they don't even have the same fans. elliott smith was so much more than the flavor of the week, he was a beautiful man that is unappreciated in life and in death.

\"a pair of eyes staring at you, projected on a large screen is what cinema is truly about.\" -volker schlöndorff

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) -- Los Angeles coroner's officials said Tuesday they could not determine whether the stab wounds that killed Oscar-nominated singer-songwriter Elliott Smith in October were self-inflicted.

An autopsy report appears to leave the nature of Smith's death, which was initially called a suicide by Los Angeles police, an open question.

The body of Smith -- who earned an Oscar nomination and widespread notice for his 1997 single "Miss Misery" from the film "Good Will Hunting" -- was found in October at his Los Angeles home by the musician's live-in girlfriend.

Coroner's spokesman David Campbell said Smith, 34, died from two "penetrating stab wounds" to the chest.

"The trauma that he sustained could have been inflicted by him or by another and the coroner has not been able to make a determination," Campbell said.

Campbell said toxicology tests found no illegal or controlled substances in Smith's system. The singer was apparently taking anti-depressants and medication for attention deficit disorder at the time of his death but was not abusing them, Campbell said.

He said the case would remain open and that coroner's officials would revisit their findings if additional information surfaced.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department said homicide detectives also would "look again" at Smith's death following the autopsy report. He said the case was initially reported to the LAPD as a suicide.

I keep arguing this case, there is no way in hell the human body will allow you to stab yourself. At the first response to pain, the knife will be pulled away. I've argued this case and finally others are starting to see it this way.

Aclockworkjj: I have like broncitious or somethingAclockworkjj: sucks, when i cough, if feels like i am dyingAclockworkjj: i can barely smoke

I keep arguing this case, there is no way in hell the human body will allow you to stab yourself. At the first response to pain, the knife will be pulled away. I've argued this case and finally others are starting to see it this way.

i bought Figure 8 a couple years ago. i thought it was ok. i pulled it out every once in a while. then the Royal Tenenbaums came out. listened to it some more. still OK.....i started listening to it a few weeks ago and now it blows me away!......i bought X/O this week and it's great too. i looked for Either/Or tonight, but didn't find it.how do the first 3 albums compare to the last 2?